Whereof this ominous night that clos'd thee round,
So many terrors, voices, prodigies
May warn thee, as a fure fore-going fign.
490
So talk'd he, while the Son of God went on And stay'd not, but in brief him answer'd thus. 485 Me worse than wet thou find'st not; other harm Those terrors which thou speak'st of, did me none; I never fear'd they could, though noifing loud And threatning nigh; what they can do as figns Betokening, or ill boding, I contemn As falfe portents, not fent from God, but thee; Who knowing I fhall reign paft thy preventing, Obtrud ft thy offer'd aid, that I accepting At least might feem to hold all pow'r of thee, Ambitious Spirit, and wouldst be thought my God, And storm'ft refus'd, thinking to terrify Me to thy will; defift, thou art discern'd And toil'ft in vain, nor me in vain moleft.
500
505
To whom the Fiend now fwoln with rage reply'd. Then hear, O Son of David, Virgin-born; For Son of God to me is yet in doubt: Of the Meffiah I have heard foretold By all the Prophets; of thy birth at length Announc'd by Gabriel with the first I knew, And of th' angelic fong in Bethlehem field, On thy birth-night, that fung thee Saviour born. From that time feldom have I ceas'd to eye Thy infancy, thy childhood, and thy youth, Thy manhood laft, though yet in private bred; Till at the ford of Jordan whither all Flock'd to the Baptift, I among the reft, Though not to be baptiz'd, by voice from Heaven Heard thee pronounc'd the Son of God belov'd. Thenceforth I thought thee worth my nearer view And narrower fcrutiny, that I might learn
510
Then in a flow'ry valley fet him down
On a green bank, and set before him spread
A table of celeftial food, divinė,
Ambrofial fruits, fetch'd from the tree of life,
And from the fount of life ambrofial drink,
That foon refresh'd him wearied, and repair'd
What hunger, if ought hunger had impair'd,
Or thirst; and as he fed, angelic quires
Sung heav'nly anthems of his victory
Over temptation, and the Tempter proud.
True Image of the Father, whether thron'd
In the bofom of blifs, and light of light
Conceiving, or remote from Heav'n, infhrin'd
In fleshly tabernacle, and human form,
Wand'ring the wilderness, whatever place,
Habit, or ftate, or motion, ftill expreffing
The Son of God, with God-like force indued
Against th' attempter of thy Father's throne,
And thief of Paradife; him long of old
Thou didst debel, and down from Heaven caft 605
With all his army, now thou haft aveng'd
Supplanted Adam, and by vanquishing
Temptation, haft regain'd loft Paradife ;
And frustrated the conquest fraudulent :
He never more henceforth will dare fet foot
In Paradife to tempt; his fnares are broke :
For though that feat of earthly blifs be fail'd,
A fairer Paradife is founded now
For Adam and his chosen fons, whom thou
A Saviour art come down to re-install
615
Where they shall dwell fecure, when time shall be,
Of Tempter and temptation without fear.
But thou, infernal Serpent, fhalt not long
Rule in the clouds; like an autumnal star
Or lightning thou shalt fall from Heav'n, trod down
Under
Under his feet: for proof, ere this thou feel'st
Thy wound, yet not thy last and deadliest wound,
By this repulfe receiv'd, and hold'ft in Hell
No triumph; in all her gates Abaddon rues
Thy bold attempt; hereafter learn with awe
To dread the Son of God: he all unarm'd
Shall chace thee with the terror of his voice
625
630
From thy demoniac holds, poffeffion foul,
Thee and thy legions; yelling they fhall fly,
And beg to hide them in a herd of fwine,
Left he command them down into the deep
Bound, and to torment fent before their time.
Hail Son of the most High, heir of both worlds,
Queller of Satan, on thy glorious work
Now enter, and begin to fave mankind.
635
Thus they the Son of God our Saviour meek Sung victor, and from heav'nly feast refresh'd Brought on his way with joy; he unobferv'd Home to his mother's house private return'd.
Ariftot. Poet. Cap. 6.
Τραγωδία μίμησις πράξεως σπεδαίας, &c.
per mife
Tragoedia eft imitatio actionis feriæ, &c. ricordiam et metum perficiens talium affectuum luftrationem.
|